1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a rescue apparatus for rescuing a person in water, particularly for use in adverse weather and sea conditions where conventional rescue craft cannot operate very effectively.
2. Prior Art
Rescue of personnel in adverse weather and sea conditions has always presented difficulties. Conventional rigid or inflatable lifeboats are commonly difficult to manoeuver for retrieving a floating victim, and in fact sometimes are hazardous to the floating victim. Helicopters have been used to lower rescue personnel, or nets, to retrieve victims, but severe weather conditions endanger the rescue personnel and would commonly prohibit the use of helicopters for this type of rescue.
Russian Pat. No. 624,825 discloses a remotely powered and controlled, unmanned floating rescue net which is designed to retrieve a victim from the water by catching the victim in the forward portion of the net, and returning the victim to a rescue vessel. The apparatus of this patent discloses a rigid framework which supports upper and lower portions of a net, with thrusters mounted on each side for controlling and powering the apparatus. The apparatus has remotely inflatable chambers positioned below the lower portion of the net, which chambers are normally deflated so as to permit the net to pass underneath the victim, and are then inflated to raise the victim with the net. The apparatus is disclosed for use with a helicopter, but it has a hollow metal frame for containing compressed air and does not appear to be collapsible, and thus would require a relatively large and powerful helicopter for operation. Furthermore, there appears to be no automatic self-righting tendency for the apparatus and should it become inverted in heavy seas or during deployment there may be considerable difficulty in setting it upright again. Furthermore, the heavy frame could be a hazard to the victim in adverse sea conditions where the apparatus could be thrown on top of the victim by large waves.